Flask turnover for foundry molding machines



S. J. GEDRIS FLASK TURNOVER FOR FOUNDRY MOLDING MACHINES Oct. 28, 19522. SHEETS'SHEET 1 Filed July 28, 1950 Q 4;, NH I /nvenf0r Sfan/ey-JamesGeor/s 5 Affornex S. J. GEDRIS FLASK TURNOVER FOR FOUNDRY MOLDINGMACHINES Filed July 28, 1950 Oct. '28, 1952 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 /nven for5fan/e y James Geor/s Patented Oct. 28, 1952 UNITED- S TATES PAT OFFICE.

.FIIASK TURNOVER FORFOUNDRY MOLDING MACHINES 'stanleycalamcsiGedris,Grand Rapids,Mich;

Application July 28, 195-0; SerialNo 11 5.0":

.my'c'opending application entitled Molding Machine, SerialNo. 723,025,filed January 20, 1947,

now abandoned.

Although my novel hoist'is adapted to .uses other than in the foundryfield, I shall describe .myfhoistas itisrelated. to the-foundry. fieldbecause it is particularly adapted to solving difficulties experiencedin that field with flask handling equipment. In the handling of foundryflasks, particularly after the mold has been formed in them,.it isnecessary that the flask be .handled without excessive jarrin or shocks.

Therefore, any automatic mechanism designed to grasp and release theflask must be capable ofseating. and unseating theflask from itsstationary position without sudden acceleration. This requires apositive and precise mechanism.

Because ofthe weight of foundry flasks, the hoist must be adapted tohandling heavy loads. At the same time, because of the Conditionsattendantconventional foundry operations, the mechanism mustbe simpleand not'require precise or wear-sensitive parts. Foundry operationsinvolve the use of quantities of abrasive and corrosive materialscreating seriousmaintenance problems wherever precision machinery isinvolved. Thus, it is essential to eliminate precise and close toleranceoperating parts whenever possible.

It is, therefore, a primary"object.ofimy invento provide a.hoist'mechanism adapted to grasping and releasingarticles withoutjarring the articles.

Claims. (01.1 21.4i-115) 2. Figure 1 is a side elevation view of myimproved flask hoist showing a "portion of the flask conveyorcooperating with the hoist.

Figure 2 is a sectionalen-d elevation view of my improved flask hoisttaken along the'plane II--II- of Figure 1 andshowing the-hoistintermediate the endsofitsdownward travel.

Figure-3 isa sectional sideend elevation view of myimproved-flask hoisttaken alongfthe same plane-as Figure Zbut-showing the hoistintermediate'the ends of its upward travel. I

Figure 4 is a-sectional view of my'improved flask hoist" taken alongtheplane IV-'IV of Figure 1 but not showing the tracks guiding the hoist.

Figure 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary-side elevation view of one of theguide tracks formy improved flask hoist showing the operation of theswitch track;

In executing the" objects and purposes of my invention I have I provideda hoist having ahead fromwhich dependsa pair of opposed, "pivoted,clamping arms, resiliently urged away from each other. These-:armsareheldat-asuitable minimum spacing by engagement with 'atrack of a dog orguide roller on eachof-the arms. The track provides'areleaseforthearms-after an article clasped by the arms-"has been deposited. Thetrack then iorces'the armstogether again to clasp the next article.

In the following description the terms upwardly, and downwardly arefrequently used andare to be taken-as meaning upwardly as shown inFigure l and downwardly away therefrom. Tire terms inwardly andoutwardly are also freely used-and are-tobe-taken as inwardlytowardthegeometric-center of the hoist.and outwardlyaway'therefrom. V

.Referring-tothe drawings in'greater detail the numeral l indicates'a'frame having uprights 2, upper-cross beams--3-,'intermediate cross beams4, lower cross beams 5, and base beams *6. Supported on the upper oross"beams 3 is" a'- topbeam Tfrom'whichdepends a'double acting cylinder 8having a "piston 9 -Mounted on the lower" end of the piston -9- is ashaft iii-having a horizontal cross bar-H on-each'of' its ends.The'shaft 10 together with the cross liars 'H' constitute the head ofthe claspin-g assembly.

A pairof somewhatvertical arms 2 I], joined adjacent-their lower-endsbya brace 21; are each pivota-lly mounted adjacent their upper endsto oneend of the cross bars] I. .Apair Of-aIIIlS 2.0a similar to the arms-'20and having a brace 2Ila are mounted adjacent their upper ends to the 6other of the ends of the cross bars ii. Each of the arms 20 and 20a havean upwardly extending portion above the cross bars H. The upwardlyextending portions of the arms 29 and 28a are joined by a pair ofsprings 22, each spring extending between One arm 20 and one arm 26a.The arms 20 and 28a are each, at their lower ends, provided with asomewhat horizontal flange 23 and 23a, respectively. The flanges 23 and23a are directed toward each other. The head, arms 29 and 20a, springs22, braces 25 and Zia and horizontal flanges 23 and 23a togetherconstitute the clasp assembly or element.

A pair of guide rollers 24 (Figs. 2 and 3) are mounted on each of thebraces 25 and 2Ia by means of outwardly extending mounts 25. Each of theguide rollers 24 cooperates with one of the four guide tracks 39. Sinceeach of the guide tracks to is identical, for the sake of brevity, Ishall describe them as though there were only one.

The guide track 3i] includes a primary track member 3| having an upper,inward, vertical portion 32 and a lower, outwardly offset portion 33connected by an inclined portion 34. The primary track member 3| ismounted on a standard 35 supported by the cross beams 4 and 5. Inwardlyof the offset portion 33 and aligned with the vertical portion 32 is asecondary track member or switch track 36 (Fig. 5) pivotally mounted bythe pin 31 at its lower end to the standard 35. The offset portion 33extends substantially below the lower end of the switch track 36. Thisextension is at least equal to the diameter of the roller 24.Substantially above the pin 31, a peg 38, mounted on the switch track36, extends through a slot 39 in the standard 35. A spring 40, coiledabout the pin 31 and having one end bearing against the under surface ofthe cross beam 5 and its other end bearing against the peg 38, urges thepeg outwardly and the switch track 36 into alignment with the verticalportion 32 of the primary track member 3!. The outward endof the slot 39acts as a stop when the switch track 36 is aligned with the verticalportion 32 of the primary track 3i. By reason of the slot 39, however,the switch track 36 is enabled to pivot inwardly about the pin 31 whensubjected to suiflcient urging to overcome the force of the spring 40.

I have described one of the four identical guide tracks 39. The guidetracks are arranged in pairs, one pair on each side of the hoistelement. The guide tracks making up each pair are spaced apart asubstantial portion of the width of the hoist element. One of therollers 24 cooperates with each of the guide tracks 39.

My improved flask hoist is designed to be used in connection with themolding machine described in my copending application entitled AutomaticFoundry Molding Machine and with the flask conveyor described in mycopending application entitled Flask Conveyor for Foundry MoldingMachine. To clarify the operation of my improved flask hoist, I haveillustrated, in Figure l, a fragmentary portion 0: the flask conveyor ofmy automatic molding machine.

Horizontally aligned with the lower cross beams 5 are a pair of rails 58forming a conveyor track 5!. The rails 56 extend between the uprights 2and their ends are supported on a beam 58 (Fig. 4) extending between twoof the uprights 2. Along the conveyor track 51 but adjacent the flaskhoist is a mold making station 52. A carriage 53 is, by means of thewheels 62, mounted on the outer rails 59 for reciprocating travel intoand out of the mold making station 52. The carriage 53 is actuated bymeans of the double acting cylinder 54. By means of the gripping dogs 55and the pusher dogs 58, the flasks 51 are individually moved, step bystep, first into the mold making station and then into the flask hoist.The clasp element, in its raised position,

is so disposed that the flasks 51, as they are pushed ofi the ends ofthe rails 59, will be supported by the engagement of the horizontalflanges 23 and 23a with the upper rim 60 of the flasks. More detaileddescription of the mold making station and the flask conveyor isunnecessary since they are fully illustrated and described in my aboveidentified copending application and constitute but one of several waysthe flask could be placed in my flask hoist.

Operation flasks 5'3 enter the flask hoist while it is in raisedposition (Fig. 1). In this position of the hoist the arms 28 and 26.7;are, in their inward position. The flanges 23 and 23a seat under the rim653 of the flask and are maintained'in this position by the contactbetween the rollers 24' with the vertical portion 32 of the primarytrack 3 i. The hoist is then lowered by downward actuation of thecylinder 8, lowering the flask 51 with it. The roller 2% will pass fromthevertical portion 32 of the primary track to the switch track 3%,which, being aligned with the vertical portion 32, will continue tomaintain the arms 28 and 20a in their closed or inward position.

Before the rollers 2d reach the lower ends of the switch tracks 36, theflask 5? will come to rest upon a suitable support such as a matingflask ii i. The clasp element will continue to move downwardly for ashort distance after the flask 5? has come to rest, thus, disengagingthe flanges 23 and 23m from the rim 69. When the rollers 24 reach thelower ends of th switch tracks 36, under the urging of the springs 22,the arms 20 and 2% will move outwardly until stopped by contact with theoffset portion 33 of the primary track 3 4. At the same time thedirection of movement of the clasp element is reversed. As the claspelement moves upwardly, contact between the inclined portions 34 of thetrack and the rollers 24 will again force the arms 23 and 20a inwardlyor toward each other. Under the urging of the rollers 23, the switchtracks 36 will pivot inwardly to permit the rollers to pass from theinclined portions iii to the vertical portions 32 of the primary tracks3i. As soon as the rollers '2 have passed, the switch tracks 36. willagain move back into alignment with the vertical portions 32 of theprimary tracks.

The clasp element will stop its upward movement with the horizontalflanges 23 and 23a positioned to receive the next flask from the moldingstation 52. The limits of vertical travel of the clasp element aredetermined by the maximum stroke of the piston 9. The piston 9 may beoperated hydraulically or pneumatically, or suitable electricallyoperated equipment may be substituted for the cylinder 8 and piston 9. Asuitable arrangement of conventional controls may be employed to timethe operation of my hoist. The controls maybe employed to time theoperation of my hoist. The controls may be made to coordinate theoperation of my hoist with the operation of the conveyor moving theflasks into the hoist and the mechanism to be employed for removing theflasks from the hoist.

Such a coordinated system is described in my copending applicationentitled Automatic Foundry Molding Machine, Serial No. 176,510, filedJuly 28, 1950.

Numerous modifications of my invention may be made, each withoutdeparting from the principle of my invention. Each of such modificationsis to be considered as included in the hereinafter appended claimsunless these claims by their language expressly provide otherwise.

Iclaim:

1. In a hoist for a foundry flask, the combination comprising: a frame;a clasp member including a vertically reciprocable head and a pair ofspaced arms, each of said arms pivotally mounted to one side of saidhead adjacent its upper end and depending from said head; resilientmeans urging said arms apart; a track, said track including a primaryportion adjacent said arms and parallel to the centerline of said claspmember; a secondary portion spaced from said primary portion in adirection remote from the centerline of said clasp member; the lower endof said secondary portion depending below said primary portion and theupper end of said secondary portion converging with said primaryportion; a switch element in said primary track pivotally mounted at itslower end; the upper end of said switch portion contacting said primaryportion at the point of conversion of saidprimary portion and saidsecondary portion;

means urging said switch element into alignment with said primaryportion; means for vertically, reciprocably moving said clasp member; aguide on each of said arms for contacting said track whereby as saidclasp element is moved downwardly said guide will urge said armstogether until said guide passes around the end of said primary portionand contacts said secondary portion for allowing said arms to separateuntil said guide transverses the end of said secondary portionconverging with said primary portion.

2. In a hoist as set forth in claim 1 wherein a flange is mounted on thelower end of each of said arms; each of said flanges directed toward theother for engaging a flask therebetween when said guide contacts saidprimary portion of said track.

3. In a hoist for a foundry fiask, the combination comprising: a frame;a clasp member including a vertically reciprocable head and a pair ofspaced arms, each of said arms pivotally mounted to one side of saidhead adjacent its upper end and depending from said head; resilientmeans for urgin said arms apart; a track adjacent each of said arms andhaving a vertical straight portion parallel to the centerline of saidclasp member and a loop portion at the lower end of said straightportions, said loop portion converging with said straight portionintermediate the ends of said straight portion; each of said loopsdisposed away from said centerline of said clasp member; aself-returning switch in each of said straight portions at theconversion of said loop portions and said straight portions; means forvertically, reciprocably moving said clasp member; a guide on each ofsaid arms contacting said track whereby said arms will be urged togetherwhen said guide traverses said straight portion of said track andseparated when said guide traverses the lower end of said loop portionof said track.

4. In a hoist as described in claim 3 wherein said arm includes a pairof spaced members; an L-shaped angle mounted to the lower ends of eachpair of spaced members; each of said angles having a leg extendingtoward the centerline of said clasp member for supporting a flask whensaid guides aretraversing said straight portion of said track.

5. In a hoist for a foundry flask, the combination comprising: a frame;a clasp-member including a vertically reciprocable head and a pair ofspaced arms, each of said arms 'pivotally mounted to one side of saidhead adjacent its upper end and depending from said head; resilientmeans for urgin said arms apart; a guide on each of said arms extendingaway from the centerline of said clasp member; a first vertical trackmounted on said frame adjacent each of said arms and contacting saidguide for urging said arms together as said clasp member travels in onevertical direction; a second track converging with said first track andspaced from said first track in a direction away from said centerline ofsaid clasp member for permitting said arms to separate a predetermineddistance and urging said arms together as said clasp member travels inthe opposite vertical direction.

STANLEY JAMES GEDRIS.

No references cited.

